Insufficient Evidence
by mantinemaniac
Summary: "I follow you home everyday, I make dinner―I mean, we even tuck Alyssa in together, for God's sake!" Naomi approached her life the same way she approached her cases; Navel thinks otherwise.


I just looove Naomi and Little Guy! Their interactions were gold in the game. (Atlus, I demand Trauma Team 2!) This drabble goes from sexy timez to drama to fluff, with some humor thrown in for good measure. Enjoy.

* * *

Pinot noir was her favorite, followed by Chardonnay.

_Not vermouth though. Naomi dislikes the aftertaste_. Navel shifted the wine glass in his hand as he stared at the file on the coffee table in front of him. _So the victim had been at the bar the day before her murder? Seems suspicious._ He and Naomi were currently sitting in her living room working on their latest case, accompanied by a bottle of red wine, half-finished.

Navel took a sip before raising his eyes from the paper, glancing on Naomi. She was curled up on her loveseat, wine glass nearly empty with various files and photos stacked on the table in front of her. He tried not to smile at the sight, though it was difficult; Naomi was very dedicated to her job, and when she found a lead she was like a hound on a scent—nothing stopped her until she reached the conclusion. It was this dedication that Navel admired about her; the willingness to find the truth no matter where it lead. He had to admit that working for the FBI wasn't something he'd seen himself doing, but it wasn't terrible, and at the very least, _she_ was with him again. He felt his cheeks flush and hastily raised the paper in front of his face before she noticed. One would think that after being partners for so long, he'd be able to suppress this embarrassing reaction, but so far it wasn't working.

"This could prove useful, though of course we'll still need solid evidence before reaching a conclusion..." Naomi muttered to herself, oblivious to Navel's awkward attempts at hiding his blush. She placed the paper down on her stack and went back to her laptop, typing notes to herself as she analyzed each piece of information. Unfortunately, it was going nowhere. She massaged her temples and sighed; at this, Navel looked up from his file.

"Something wrong?"

"Not exactly. More like we'll have to go back to the site tomorrow. There's pieces to this puzzle that I'm lacking, and while I could draw some conclusions, I'd feel better if I wasn't grasping at straws. I'm just going to analyze the objects for now."

_Looks like it's back to the drawing board._ Navel sighed inwardly, although to be honest, he knew that these cases were never that straightforward. If they had been, then he and Naomi wouldn't be drinking red wine in her living room at midnight while going through case files. It had become something of a routine for them: he'd come over after work, sometimes with a bottle of wine (or if it was a particularly grueling case, vodka), his laptop, and files. After making sure Alyssa was all tucked into bed and sound asleep, they'd settle into the living room where the papers and their wine glasses littered the top of Naomi's glass coffee table, until they were bleary-eyed from staring at laptop screens and fuzzy-headed from all the alcohol they consumed. Then, one of the would invariably suggest that they quit for the night (it was usually him) and they would finally close the laptops and shove the paperwork back into their folders. Except that the papers usually didn't get sorted until morning, because they were too busy taking off each others' clothes and placing hot, open-mouthed kisses on the exposed skin.

The one time Naomi had managed to stack the papers in some semblance of order, they wound up doing it _right there_ on the coffee table. Part of her had been miffed that her efforts ended up being completely wasted but was hard to even think when she was bent over said coffee table getting her brains fucked out. (Later she had reprimanded him for almost breaking her glass coffee table. He just responded that she should think of investing in a wooden one. "They're sturdier.") After that incident, paperwork sorting was decidedly moved to a later time. Later meant after waking up to that blasted alarm clock, after Alyssa was up and dressed, and finally _after_ breakfast when they were packing their bags for work.

He could feel Naomi's eyes on him; she was probably waiting for him to call it a night and go to bed. Tempted as he was, Navel wanted to prove to her that he wasn't _always_ such a wimp when it came to work. Of course, that plan derailed as his eyes drifted towards her relaxed form curled up on the love seat, her shirt unbuttoned just enough for him to catch a tantalizing glimpse of cleavage. Sometimes he wondered if Naomi dressed like that to tease him on purpose, or if she really was just that confident in her own sexuality. Either way, he knew there was no more work to be done tonight.

"So, you wanna call it a night?" He caved, closing his laptop and waiting for her reaction. Usually she would make a comment about how there was still work to be done, but it was merely a formality; she was just as eager to stop as he was.

"There's still some evidence I haven't sorted through…" Naomi trailed off, standing up and stretching slightly, her legs cramped from sitting so long. Navel's eyes followed her every movement, taking in her pale skin and the luscious curves that her clothing accentuated so well. Her eyes closed when she felt his warm breath on her neck and his hands situated around her waist.

"Mm, but I think we've done enough work for one night, wouldn't you agree?" His lips nuzzled the side of her neck, and his fingers worked their way up to her blouse, slowly unbuttoning it one button at a time. She opened her mouth to reply and he used that opportunity to kiss her. Naomi could taste the wine on his tongue and feel the intensity of his passion in the kiss. It always left her slightly stunned, and she could only remain speechless as he finished unbuttoning her shirt and gently pulled it off her shoulders.

The wine glasses and case files were forgotten as they made their way to her bedroom, lips playfully nipping at the other's bare skin and hands caressing and touching all over. It was an unspoken rule that they didn't leave a trail of clothing on the floor—lest Alyssa discover it and start asking questions—so Navel made sure they were within the safety of her bedroom (with closed doors, of course) before dropping the blouse onto the floor. His tie was already undone by then and Naomi yanked if off before pulling him in for another searing kiss, this time unbuttoning his dress shirt with perhaps a _little_ more force than necessary. He shrugged it off his shoulders as soon as he felt the last button come off, pushing her back onto the bedspread.

Her fingers expertly undid his belt buckle just enough for him to get his pants off. He reached up the sides of her smooth thighs and pulled down her underwear (fuck, it was a thong today), her skirt having long been discarded. In between undressing each other, his tongue lapped at her silky flesh, causing sighs and moans to escape from her lips. She ran her fingers through his hair, making it even messier than it already was, kissing and nipping at his throat, and he couldn't help the groan that came out of his mouth.

"God, you're such a tease," he whispered huskily, capturing her mouth with his own. She only smiled slyly before reaching down and stroking him firmly. Navel had to choke back a moan as she continued her actions. He was going to come all over her hand soon if she didn't stop. It was agonizingly difficult not to give in, but tonight he didn't feel like being the follower.

"Okay, that's it. No more for you," he managed to force out even though he was starting to pant under her ministrations and his mind was getting hazy. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head to prevent her from getting any more ideas.

Naomi's eyes sparkled mischievously as she looked up at him. He was always so obedient in the office that it was invariably a turn-on whenever he took control in bed. The lust in his eyes was evident, but there was something else as well. It was what made her trust him, to know that even though he could easily overpower her with his strength, he would never hurt her. He leaned down and kissed her fiercely, and she let herself go under his dominance.

Her fingers were splayed across his back, and he could feel a slight pain from her fingernails digging in, but it was only a small discomfort overpowered by the pleasure of their bodies finally coming together. The sheets were a twisted mess beneath them and sweat made their flesh slick to the touch, but it only added to the intensity of their lovemaking. The only sensations that he was aware of were her voice making sensual sounds in his ear, the feeling of her entire being pressed against his body, and her intoxicating scent that drove him crazy every time.

If someone had told him four years ago that one day he would be making love to the very woman whom he had viewed as nothing more than a tool, Navel probably would have shot that person on the spot. Not only was he a cold-hearted zealot with the emotional capacity of a rock, he was pretty sure that Naomi had felt nothing but disgust for him back then. After all, she had been like his captive, following his orders and doing his bidding, even though he had been simply relaying commands from the top. But when he saw her again, somewhere along the way, his contempt had turned into respect. And then into admiration, and then into… something more. There wasn't a sudden revelation or any sort of "magical moment"; he didn't believe in love at first sight or any of that cheesy crap. Navel wasn't sure how or when it had exactly happened, but now that she was back in his life again, he found himself not wanting to let her go.

Gradually, their breathing slowed, and their heartbeats returned to a more sustainable rate. The sheets were pulled up from their wrinkled state and wrapped loosely around their bodies, although the heat that still remained made the cooler night air feel pleasantly comfortable. Naomi's hair was spread out like a silver sheet on the pillow, and her normally-piercing blue eyes were soft. Navel placed a kiss at the juncture of her collarbone, then lightly kissed her lips. She exhaled softly and smiled at him. His hands gently stroked her skin as he watched her close her eyes, her chest rising and falling, a tranquil expression on her face. She looked radiant and content. If he could live the rest of his life like this, Navel was certain he'd die a happy man.

_So why don't you?_ His subconscious berated him. Navel mentally groaned; this was _not _the time to be playing shoulder angel/devil with himself. But on the other hand, the little voice had a point. Why _wasn't_ he living with her already?

_Short of going to PTA meetings, we're pretty much already like a family. Alyssa even expects me to make her pancakes in the morning! Wouldn't moving in be the next logical step? _If he really examined his daily routine in the last few months, he was either at work or at Naomi's. The only time he really went back to his apartment was to grab a change of clothes or to shower, and even that was slowly starting to become unnecessary. He glanced across the room at the dresser that held a few of his shirts and ties in a drawer.

_Is Naomi even aware of the changes? I wonder if she's ever thought about it._

_I wonder..._

_I..._

"I've been thinking about moving in together." Navel had been so focused on his thoughts that before he realized it, the words just came out of his mouth. Naomi's eyes, which had been closed as she was falling asleep, suddenly opened and looked at him questioningly.

"What?" She blinked a few times to make sure she had not misheard. "What did you say?" Her tone was not harsh, but Navel suddenly felt he had made a serious mistake. They almost never discussed their relationship; they had simply let things happen without ever talking about it. The majority of their affair was born out of routines and implicit agreements that were never said out loud; it was as if their relationship could only exist because it was unspoken. Now, he feared the spell was broken.

"Um, I said I was thinking. About us. Living together." Navel cleared his throat nervously. When Naomi didn't answer, he went on. "I-I mean, if you think about it, we pretty much already do…" he trailed off, feeling more and more self-conscious as she continued to stare at him.

"I see."

"Um, yeah. I-I don't mean to impose this on you, it's not like I'm trying to freeload off of you or anything!" _Oh my GOD, that sounded pathetic. Great, now she probably thinks I'm just using her for se-_

"Why?"

"Why what? Huh-what?" Navel's inner hysterics were suddenly interrupted by Naomi's question.

"Why do you want to move in?" Her expression was unreadable.

Navel fell quiet. There were a lot of reasons why, number one being that he loved her and wanted to be with her all the time, not just in between solving cases and catching bad guys.

Naomi raised an eyebrow at his silence and he quickly cleared his throat before she thought he was trying to take back his previous statement.

"Well, if you think about it, we already spend a lot of time with each other," he started off slowly. "N-not that that's a bad thing!" he quickly corrected. "If anything, I...I want to spend more time with you. Not just when we're solving cases or making dinner, but..." At this, he could feel his cheeks getting hot and he glanced down at the sheets. He was getting nervous about confessing his deeper feelings to Naomi.

"What I'm trying to say is...I want us to be together. Like a family." There. He said it. He knew his face was probably beet-red by now, but he'd finally done it.

"I don't think it's necessary."

"W-what?" Navel's head snapped up at Naomi's comment. She wasn't looking at him.

"I think what we have right now is perfectly fine. We get to see each other, Alyssa has a stable home life, and our work gets done. Don't you think it's enough?" At the last part her voice dropped to a whisper.

He gaped at her. This was not what he was expecting her to say. And she still wasn't looking at him.

"But, why?" It was all he could say at the moment. Navel felt like someone had just drop-kicked a 50 pound bowling ball into his stomach. He had exposed to deepest and most vulnerable part of him to her, and just like that she rejected him. It hurt.

"I...just don't think it's necessary," she repeated, but this time he could hear the hesitation in her voice.

"Not necessary? That's not really answering my question, Naomi," he pressed, swallowing his heartbreak. Maybe if he could get to the bottom of her hesitation, he'd be able to convince her that there was no reason not to.

"I-" For the first time, he had her cornered, and Naomi wasn't sure how to respond. Inside, her mind was a whirling hive of activity, frantically trying to piece together his proposal and her response to it. There had been the initial elation at his confession, but then the fear took over. She was used to putting up walls, keeping people safely at arms length, not only because of her cautious nature, but because her disease would only have made any sort of relationship end in tragedy. Even though she had been completely cured now, old habits were hard to break. Her instant reaction was to say no, because that was how she kept herself safe. That was how she kept others from hurting her, even though she knew that he'd rather die than cause her harm. She glanced back at him, and she could tell that he was onto her facade. He was the one person who was always able to break through her defenses, time and time again. No matter how hard she tried, how much she had perfected her mask, one look and it was like he knew exactly what she was really feeling.

_So why can't I let him in? _It had killed her to see the pain in his eyes, knowing that she was the direct case of it. Part of her was screaming, "_Go for it! This is what you've always wanted, right? A real family!"_ But the cynical, calculating part of her mind merely responded, "_You sure you got all the pieces? This is your life we're talking about here. One wrong move, and things could be screwed up forever. There's no turning back."_

She was scared. What if this _wasn't_ the right decision? What would she do if she destroyed their relationship? It would be devastating. She couldn't make a decision without having all the pieces of the puzzle, just like with their cases, and right now, she didn't know if she had everything.

"I, I can't. It would only complicate things."

"Wha- complicate things? How?" At this point Navel was not only flustered but taken aback. "Wouldn't it make things easier?"

"I...I just can't. I don't know." Naomi was starting to get nervous. He could tell her mask was breaking.

"Is it because you don't like me? Is this all just about sex then? ...Are you ashamed to be with me?"

"No! It's not that-"

"I follow you home everyday, I make dinner—I mean, we even tuck Alyssa in together, for God's sake!"

"I just—I don't know everything. I can't make a decisio-"

"This isn't a case, Naomi! This is real life, _our_ lives! You don't need to have all the pieces! Hell, sometimes you don't even _get_ all the pieces!" he exploded. God, she was a brilliant forensics investigator, but life didn't always work that way! He knew that she was scared of making the wrong decision, and so she viewed the situation as just another problem that came up in her work; wait until all the cards were on the table before making a move.

Naomi flinched at his sudden outburst. He really knew her well.

He looked at her for a long, hard moment. His chest was heaving slightly after the surge of emotions. She was looking at him now, but her lips were tight and he regretted shouting. He had never raised his voice at her before. He wanted to hold her close and tell her to not be scared, to reassure her that everything would be okay, but her expression and his aggravated state made it difficult for him to be affectionate.

She couldn't say anything. Even if she knew he was right, she didn't have the words to convey what she felt. And so she just stayed silent.

Navel sighed and rubbed his temples. It seemed that Naomi wasn't going to budge, and he was getting tired and frustrated. Now he just felt like an idiot for bringing the whole thing up in the first place. It was obvious that she wasn't ready to go any further in their relationship, so he'd better stop now before the whole thing blew up in his face.

"You know what, it's late, and I know we're both exhausted. Let's just try and get some sleep," he said dejectedly. So much for that conversation. He didn't bother to try and hide his disappointment. He felt too tired and hurt, and for once, he was fed up of always having to hold back his emotions. Didn't he at least have the right to express how he felt felt too? Navel turned around and flipped off the light switch. It felt odd to not be facing her as he slept, but at the moment, he wasn't sure he could.

He could hear her shift a little behind him but nothing else. He closed his eyes and tried to will sleep to come, especially since he knew he had an early meeting in the morning.

_To hell with meetings, we should all just communicate via chat windows._ At least that way none of his colleagues would have to see the dark circles under his eyes or the tell-tale signs that he was doing more than just _sleeping_ last night. But no, his boss was a dedicated believer in face-to-face interaction, and while Navel honestly didn't mind that aspect, it just sucked when he had to drag his ass out of bed at an ungodly hour for a rendezvous that everyone knew was really just full of formalities and bullshit.

The thoughts were still swirled around in his mind when he felt Naomi's fingers drifting over his skin, snapping his attention to her touch as she traced the lines between the scars that marred his back. They're evidence of the type of life he'd lead for the past few years; dangerous and alone. He felt her linger on his right shoulder, fingertips lightly brushing over the rough edges of scar tissue. It was an old bullet wound from his days back in Delphi.

"I remember this," she whispered softly. It had been one of the first times she had gone out into the field with him. The shooter had aimed for his head, but missed and got his shoulder instead. She remembered how he had swiftly countered with two well-aimed shots to the shooter's knees, and then dragged her out through a cramped alleyway. Naomi had been too stunned from her first encounter with gunfire to do much of anything except stumble after him. It wasn't until she saw him wrapping a piece of his sleeve around the wound did she realize he had already dug out the bullet with a pocketknife. She would have offered to at least sew him up but by then he was already telling her to get in the car and before she knew it, he had dropped her off at her apartment and left.

Navel felt her breath ghost against his cheek as she spoke. That wound seemed like it was from a different lifetime ago; he remembered the initial piercing pain of the bullet entering his shoulder, but his training had drilled in him to push past the pain and return fire. Digging the bullet out with a pocket knife had been brutal though, he'd admit that much. It had never occurred to him that he could have simply asked her to patch him up. Back then, his job was just to keep her safe and assist her with surgery; nothing more, nothing less. One of the other researchers had sewed up the wound, but it was clear that the objective had been to just keep the flesh together, with no attention paid to the cosmetic aspect of the scar.

"I could've done a better job." Naomi frowned, slightly annoyed at the messy stitching, but then slightly guilty that she hadn't offered to do it herself.

"Doesn't matter. It wasn't your responsibility." He wasn't sure if the talking was a sign that she was still interested in discussing the issue, or if she simply couldn't sleep.

Naomi felt unexpectedly hurt at his words. She knew it had been true, but that didn't stop the sting of regret from washing over her, and suddenly she knew how he must have felt when she said no. It wasn't just what he said, but the way that he said them felt cold, like he was turning his back on her, both literally and figuratively.

She didn't want him to shut her out.

Navel was surprised, but didn't pull away when he felt Naomi's arms reach around him as she pressed her cheek against his back. He could feel his defenses lowering, and the disappointment and frustration he had felt earlier were slowly fading away.

"I'm sorry."

"About the bullet wound?" He sounded confused.

Naomi sighed, then chuckled a little. It was so cute when did that. He was always a little dense when it came to certain things, and being on the verge of sleep surely didn't help with his mental processes at the moment.

"No, not the bullet wound. Although I wish I had, these stitches are horrendous…" she trailed off, unsure of what to say next. Apologies had never been something she excelled at, much less admitting her denial.

"I…want you to move in. With Alyssa and me."

At this he turned around and gave her a somewhat incredulous look. Hadn't they just spent the last hour arguing about that?

"I, I know I said no earlier. But…"

"You know, you don't have to force yourself to say yes if you don't want to." He was facing her again and his voice was gentle.

"But I thought you said-"

"I think I got a little too worked up about the whole thing. It's not that big a deal, if you really think about it. Yeah, it hurts, but I'll get over it. Besides, I'd rather deal with the rejection now than force you into a situation you're not ready for. I can wait." At this, he reached over and patted her on the head. It made her feel like a child, but at the same the the gesture was soothing and she found comfort in it. It meant he wasn't shutting her out. His eyes were half-closed, but Naomi couldn't tell if it was because he was tired or trying to hide the pain he felt.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you. I didn't mean to," he apologized softly, stroking her cheek tenderly with his thumb. She put her hand on top of his and twined their fingers together.

"No, I shouldn't have been so insensitive. It wasn't what I really wanted to say..." Her cheeks were tinged a slight pink, a sight Navel found to be absolutely adorable.

"It's okay, I'll live. Don't worry about it." He grinned and placed a comforting kiss on her forehead.

Naomi wasn't sure why, but all of a sudden she felt like crying. Her chest constricted and she drew in a sharp breath. Navel's expression instantly became concerned.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He wondered if he had screwed up yet again, but Naomi simply shook her head no.

"No, I'm fine."

"...Is it something I said?"

"No! No, it's not you."

"...Is it something I did?"

"No."

"...Well, then what is it?" Navel was getting a little frantic with her quizzical behavior.

"I'm just..." At that she suddenly lunged forward and grabbed him tightly. "I'm glad you're here. With me." Her face was buried in his chest and he could feel the wetness of her tears.

"So...these are happy tears?" He had to make sure she really wasn't in pain or anything like that. She nodded. Navel sighed and wrapped his arms around her.

"It's okay, just let it all out," he soothed, stroking her hair.

"I just can't believe I'm so stupid; what I've always wanted is staring at me straight in the face and I strike it right down."

"Well, I've always been the persistent type, you know that." He looked down and brushed his nose against hers. "And you're not stupid; you're the smartest person I know." Her cheeks pinked and she looked shy all of a sudden.

_God, she's cute when she does that!_

Naomi closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his chest. She felt nervous, but deep down she knew that this was something she wanted—a risk she was willing to take, even if she didn't have all the pieces.

"You okay?" Navel murmured.

"Yeah."

"Are you scared?"

"..."

"To be honest, I am too. I'm scared that I'll screw something up, or something'll happen and I'll lose you." He pulled her close and buried his face in her neck.

Naomi was surprised by his candor. Sometimes it was easy to forget that she wasn't the only one with her own insecurities and apprehensions about being involved in a serious relationship. Despite Navel's persistence, she realized that he was just as afraid about making a mistake as she was. It seemed ridiculous to feel comforted by the fact that her lover had the same worries as herself, but she was, knowing that she wasn't the only one.

"Relationships are so much more complicated than murder cases." Navel couldn't help but laugh at her comment. Even in a moment such as this, Naomi just couldn't leave her professional life alone.

"Well, on the flip side, they are also much more _enjoyable_ than solving murder cases. At least, I would hope so for you." He looked at her hopefully. She smiled back at him.

"Of course. After all, murder cases don't buy you flowers or cook dinner or bring you wine when you've had a rough day at work."

"Yeah, they just sit there on the desk, demanding to be solved."

"As soon as possible."

"Even when you're already overworked-"

"-or so sick of looking at photos of sand grains that you never want to go to the beach again."

It was a reference to their latest case, and at this they both laughed at the ridiculousness of their conversation.

"But seriously, I want to make this work, Naomi," Navel said, after their laughter had subsided. "I can't guarantee it's always going to be a smooth ride, and I know there's always going to be unknowns and obstacles along the way... I know you're scared, but I promise you, we'll get through it together." He knew it sounded corny, but it was truly how he felt. He'd follow her to the ends of the earth and back without a second thought. There was no way he would abandon her.

Naomi was touched by his sincerity. He meant each and every word; she could feel it.

"I love you."

Before she could respond, he leaned in and kissed her, his hand caressing the side of her face.

It was a long moment before they slowly pulled apart, slightly breathless.

"I love you, too." It was a whisper, but Navel caught it. He grinned, then pulled her into his arms again. Naomi mirrored his actions and wrapped her arms around him.

They may have once been two members of a terrorist organization, flirted with danger on a regular basis, and came together in the most unlikely of ways, but to Navel and Naomi, it was funny how perfect it all turned out to be.

* * *

Wow, okay, that actually turned out to be way longer than I anticipated! (Does this mean it's not a drabble anymore?) I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out, although I'm still trying to improve my "drabble" style, and I find that I'm still having some difficulty keeping the entire story in the same "feeling". Was it too much to have fluff, slight angst, and drama, all in one? I ended up typing out so much more than I had originally planned because I just kept getting inspired by scenes I wanted to write.

Credit goes to PreseatheKitsune for coming up with the original idea of Navel digging out a bullet from his shoulder. I alluded to a scene in her fic, "Delphi : Under Wraps" which has really interesting ideas about what Naomi and Navel's interactions were like back when they were in Delphi.

Also, many thanks to my awesome beta, TFRiD Queen! I have a few other ideas involving Naomi and Little Guy, so hopefully I'll be motivated to keep working at it. As always, comments and suggestions are appreciated!


End file.
